Combination garbage grinder and pump

ABSTRACT

A combination garbage grinder and pump including an integral upper shredder plate and lower pump impeller which rotates at the bottom of a liquid and waste receiving pit, the pit having a wider diameter at the top thereof than at the said shredder plate, the integral shredder plate and pump impeller being capable of both grinding waste material for discharge recirculation to a drain or alternately of pumping liquids through a liquid discharge pipe.

United States Patent lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Albert Di Stefano 3013 Northwales Road. Norristown, Pa. 19403 784,996 Nov. 25, 1968 July 6, I971 COMBINATION GARBAGE GRINDER AND PUMP 15 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 241/41,

241/4606 Int. Cl. B020 18/40 FieldoISearch 24l/36,41,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,846,155 8/1958 Higer 241/257 2,947,486 8/1960 Higer 241/260 X 2,978,190 4/1961 Brucken. 241/4608 3,236,462 2/1966 Stout 241/60 3,315,903 4/1967 Vernon 241/4606 X Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney Karl L. Spivak ABSTRACT: A combination garbage grinder and pump including an integral upper shredder plate and lower pump impeller which rotates at the bottom ofa liquid and waste receiving pit, the pit having a wider diameter at the top thereof than at the said shredder plate, the integral shredder plate and pump impeller being capable of both grinding waste material for discharge recirculation to a drain or alternately of pumping liquids through a liquid discharge pipe.

PATENTEU JUL slim 3,591,095

SHEET 2 [IF 3 IN VENTOR.

W find/W F 6 BYKMK COMBINATION GARBAGE GRINDER AND PUMP This invention relates to the general field of garbage and waste disposal units, and more particularly is directed to a single unit for operation both as a waste disposer and as a water pump.

The present invention incorporates an electrically reversible motor and integrally connected and functioning apparatus including a common housing and is suitable for intermittent operation having both waste disposing functions and water pumping operations as may be desired. The combination water pump and waste disposer unit is powered by the top end of a vertically positioned motor shaft,- thereby leaving the bottom end of the shaft free for the driving of another appliance in well-known manner by extending the shaft for connection of a pulley, gear or other mechanism as may be required for connection of the additional appliance thereby powered.

The combination garbage grinder and pump unit utilizes the well-known principle that a pump cannot function to propel liquids when the pump casing is empty of liquid. Therefore,

. during the garbage grinding operation, simultaneous grinding and pumping cannot take place inasmuch as insufficient water is present for pumping purposes. During the pumping cycle, the pit is fist filled with water by closing the sewage discharge valve and then the pumping operation can proceed in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

The said garbage grinder and pump is suitable for use with kitchen dishwashers and is designed so that the operator is not required to remove the bulk waste, especially bones. Prior art machines were very limited and intended to dispose only that waste which clings to the surface of dishes. Any attempt to dispose bulk waste resulted in numerous jams to a point preventing public use.

Prior workers in the field have attempted to produce satisfactory combination garbage grinder and pump units of the type herein set forth. However, no prior model using a combination shredder plate and pump vane has successfully been produced. Some prior models utilized a single motor with waste disposer at the top end of the motor shaft and a separate and complete water pump at the other; bottom terminus of the shaft. There are in existence dishwashers having similar waste grinding disposers that convert to pumping intermittently but do so only on a limited small scale. Where dishwasher use is concerned, the operator is required to remove bulk waste and especially bones. The shape and capacity of these machines is intended to dispose only that waste which clings to the dish surface, in conformity with the old theory that if you build a combination of two basic machines you must sacrifice some efficiency. In my design I have sacrificed only the liquid pumping efficiency and have not hindered the garbage grinding efficiency at all, thus a full scale 98 percent jam free garbage grinder and pump is the result. On the pumping side we get ample volume pumping even though efficiency is low, by sheer motor power because ample motor power is at hand. The present invention thereby greatly improves over the prior art models in that a single unit of greatly reduced complexity, size and cost has now been compactly designed into a single unit with a single motor, common parts, integral wiring and common piping arrangements.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination garbage and pump unit of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit incorporating a combination shredder plate and straight pump vanes suitable for grinding waste with either direction of rotation and water pumping function in only a single direction of rotation. It is another object of the present invention to reduce the batch feed waste disposer problems by utilizing a flotation cycle employing air and water foam to lift up and agitate the batch mass of waste.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump apparatus including integral and separate means for grinding waste and pumping water within the same unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit including means within the waste pit to prevent pressure reducing formation of whirlpool currents during pumping period.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit including a waste pit and a plurality of vertical baffles circumferentially positioned within the said waste pit positioned apart.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination garbage grinder and pump unit including resilient means overhanging the upper section of the waste pit to thereby prevent hard material from bouncing outwardly from the operation of the shredder plate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit including a conically shaped waste holding pit disposed above the shredder plate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit incorporating a conically shaped waste pit disposed above the shredder plate, the said pit having its top constructed to a greater diameter than the bottom to thereby provide space for anitwhirlpool baffles and a wider clearance top entrance.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit including check valve means permitting air or liquid to be pulled into the pump casing by centrifugal force when the motor turns and which automatically valves off liquid flow into the tube passage upon motor shutdown.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and water pump unit wherein outlet pipes, vertically disposed one above the other, receive the effluent from the combination unit to thereby direct waste matter downwardly and clear water upwardly upon operation of a discharge control valve.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and water pump unit to provide means to grind and pump simultaneously and continuously by utilizing integrally generated water foam.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide bypass water means whereby clean water may be flushed through the air tube for flushing purposes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel combination garbage grinder and pump unit that is compact in design, rugged in construction and trouble free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, partially broken away to expose the interior operating parts.

FIG. 2 is a detail plan view of the pump changer, with the combination shredder plate and impeller removed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective, detail view of the combination shredder plate and impeller.

FIG. 4 is a partial, side elevational view of the discharge piping.

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view of the conical pit.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partially broken away showing the water pumping function having the drain valve closed and with or without air foam.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, partially broken away showing how hard waste may be ground up while the machine is rotating counterclockwise or reverse from the pumping of water rotation and utilizing the aid of air-water foam and with the drain valve open.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partially broken away illustrating the food waste disposal cycle having drain valve open.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view, partially broken away to expose the interior construction to illustrate the need of pit side baffles for whirlpool spoilers, thus gaining static head pressure as an important part of the water pumping function.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIG. 1 a combination garbage grinder and pump unit constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally designated 10. The unit includes a vertical pit 12 disposed above the combination shredder plate and pump impeller 18. A motor assembly 60, of conventional electrically reversible vertical type, drives the combination shredder plate and pump impeller 18 through the end connection to the motor shaft 62 at the top thereof. The plate 18 is keyed and secured to the shaft 62 by the threaded support hub 68 by locknut and washer in conventional manner.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the shredder plate and pump impeller 18 includes a plurality of upwardly projecting shredder buffers 20, 21 and cooperates with the stationary pieces 74 which peripherally inwardly project from the grinder housing 76 in the unusual manner for hard or soft garbage grinding operations. The thus ground food particles pass through the combination shredder plate and pump impeller 18 through the impeller holes 46 to the waste discharge line 52. In addition, the ground food particles peripherally bypass the shredder plate 18 through the vertical, peripherally spaced passages 78 which are recessed between the spaced stationary pieces 74. A plurality of pump impeller vanes 38, 40, 42, 44 depend from the bottom of the shredder plate and pump impeller 18 for water pumping purposes as hereinafter more fully set forth. The vanes radially project from the impeller hub 80 and are equally spaced thereabout for optimum pumping performance and dynamic balance. The vanes 38, 40,42, 44 diminish in depth as they approach the hub 80 to form a circular water and air inlet recess 82 for clearance at the air and water inlet opening 50 as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the unit waste pit 12 conically rises above the shredder plate 18 and is fabricated with the pit bottom 16 constructed to a smaller diameter than the pit top 14. The pit 12, construction, being of downwardly descending, conical construction, inclines at not greater than l5 from the vertical axis. The said conical pit simultaneously provides a maximum top clearance diameter and allows use of antiwhirlpool side baffles positioned out of the falling pathway of hard waste matter. To otherwise obtain maximum clearance space the shredder plate 18 would require a much larger diameter and power requirements which are not feasible within the home. Pit 12 directs the waste into contact with the shredder plate and pump impeller 18. A plurality of vertically spaced baffles 22, 24, 26 inwardly project from the wall of the pit l2 and are preferably spaced 120 apart circumferentially about the inside of the waste pit 12 to interrupt and discourage the formation of whirlpool currents.

The pit top 14 terminates in an outwardly projecting, peripheral flange 28 which mounts within a peripheral ring 30 of sound dampening, resilient material such as rubber for mounting purposes so as to avoid all possible metal to metal contact. As best seen in FIG. 1, the resilient material 30 projects inwardly over the top of the flange 28 to provide an overhanging, inwardly projecting, circumferential top baffle 34. The annular top baffle 34, being constructed of resilient material, readily bends downwardly upon top application of waste material to thereby permit the waste to slide into the pit. The overhanging annular construction further aids to prevent small, hard material from bouncing upwardly after contact with the shredder buffers 20, 21 to prevent the possibility of such material flying upwardly upon impact with the shredder buffers 20, 21 and completely out of the pit 12. A peripheral clamping collar ring 36, of conventional construction, is emplayed in the usual manner for mounting the garbage grinder and pump unit to the sink or table (not shown) wherein it is intended to be employed.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the pumping unit below the shredder plate 18 is shaped to form a volute-type centrifugal pump discharge passage 58 for water pumping purposes in conjunction with the pump vanes 38, 40, 42, 44. A water and air inlet pipe 66 enters the unit 10 below both the shredder plate 18 and the discharge passage 58 and terminates inwardly near the plate hub in a plurality of upwardly facing water or air passage openings 50. It should be noted that the openings 50 project upwardly towards the impeller recesses 82 which thus allow unrestricted air and water flow into the unit 10 below the shredder plate 18 without interference from the impeller vanes 38, 40, 42, 44. The water or air pressure passage 66 functions to insure optimum waste flushing action even though there may be a large mass of pasty-type garbage blocking water passage from above by agitation generated by the upward flow from the openings 50. In addition, the passage 66 serves when it is so desired as an air inlet conduit for aeration purposes as hereinafter more fully set forth. The water or air pressure passage 66 receives city water pressure through a well-known type of two-way solenoid valve (not shown). The solenoid opens the passage 66 to the atmosphere when water inlet is shut off. When valving water into the passage 66, the air entrance to the valve is shutoff. Since there is a continuous siphoning inwardly by the pump, the relative position of the valve above the hub 80 does not affect operation. The water or air pressure passage 66 functions to insure optimum waste flushing action even though there may be a large mass of pasty-type waste blocking water passage from above by agitation generated by the upward flow from the openings 50.

The resilient flap 84 hinges near the hub 80 and is normally urged downwardly to cover and seal the passage openings 50 to thereby prevent backflow through the air and water passage 66. Upon application of either water or air applied by pressure or by siphon action alone at the pipe inlet 48, the free end of the resilient flap 84 lifts upwardly away from the openings 50 to thereby allow water or air under pressure as required by the particular cycle, to be forced into the pit 12.

During normal waste grinding operations, the valve 54, which may be of Solenoid type, opens by means of an electrical switch control (not shown) of conventional design in the usual manner to thereby allow waste particles to flow through the waste discharge line 52, to the sewer. The water recirculation pipe 56 communicates with the pump recirculation passage 58 and overlies the waste discharge line 52. It can be observed in FIGS. 1 and 6 that upper water recirculation pipe 56 needs no valve inasmuch as all flow will be urged by pump pressure through the pipe 56 to spray jets (not shown) in the cabinet 32, when the valve 54 is closed, as controlled by timer switches (not shown) after completion of the waste grinding operations. Upon completion of the pumping operation, the water recirculation pipe 56 will empty any residue automatically by gravity through the line 52 to the sewer upon opening of the valve 54. The well-known principal that a pump will not pump when only partly filled with water is employed when garbage is grinding. Upon completion of the grinding operation, the pit may then be filled with water for the purpose of pumping liquid through the recirculation line 56. The two cycles are performed one before the other as separate and intermittent functions as desired and as necessary to perform either the pumping or grinding operations in accordance with the needs of a particular machine cycle.

Without modifications, it is apparent that the unit may be employed to grind and pump simultaneously and continuously. Under such conditions the flow valve 54 closes by operation of a control switch (not shown) and the pit 12 is filled with water entering from above may be seen by referring to P16. 7. Under these conditions. air under atmospheric pressure is siphoned into the passage 66 and is impressed at the water and air inlet 48 to thus flow through the passage 66 for introduction upwardly into the pit 12 through the openings 50. It is thus seen that the introduction of air bubbles 86 into the pit 12 produces an air foam which aids in forming a slurry of water 88, air foam and hard particles 92 entrained in the liquid.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the baffles 22, 24 are illustrated as employed to prevent whirlpool formation. In the application shown, air bubbles 86 rise in the pit 12 after entry through the air inlet openings 50 as herebefore described. The air bubbles rise up through the liquid 88 to thus aid in the grinding of bones 90 or other hard material. In this application, the drain valve 54 is opened and continuous clear city water supply 94 is fed into the pit 12 from above. The cycle may be included in dishwashers and also has application in common garbage grindots in the kitchen sink. The advantage is that hard matter will grind more quietly, the sound is muffled and violent and violent bouncing of small pieces are prevented by a flood of air-water foam. The FIG. 8 cycle employs reverse direction of rotation opposite from that of water pumping. The reverse rotation drags water away from the drain pipe and the pit fills up as the pit level gets high static head pressure will increase allowing more water to go out the drain. This forms a govenor action. With continuous top water entrance and continuous hub air siphoned in the pit stays filled with foam.

It is thus seen that a single device may be readily utilized as a garbage grinder unit by opening the discharge valve 54 and allowing the shredder plate 18 to grind the waste material in conjunction with the stationary teeth 74 to thus permit the ground material 90, 92 to pass through the waste discharge line 52 to the sewer (not shown). Also, the device may be further employed as a pump alone by closing the discharge valve 54 and filling the pit 12 with water 88. The impeller vanes 40, 42, 44, 46 urge liquid through the volute-shaped discharge passage 58 and thence upwardly through the recirculation .pipe 56 to dishwasher spray jets (not shown). The rotation of the shredder plate 18 in the conjunction with the air foam 86 creates a slurry which may then be pumped by the vanes 38, 40, 42, 44 through the discharge lines 56 upon closing of the discharge valve 54. The unit may also be employed for grinding hard material such as bones 90 through the use of clockwise rotation or with the same direction as used with water pumping but having drain valve 54 opened and hard or soft waste may be ground up. Thus the machine may be used to grind and dispose waste with two directions of rotation and will pump air into the unit also with two directions of rotation but will only pump water with one direction while having the drain valve closed. The element 70 at the bottom end of the extended motor shaft is hexagonally or otherwise shaped in well-known manner for tool attachment whereby the shaft may be rotated back and forth in the event the grinder becomes jammed by foreign material.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that nu merous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a combination garbage grinder and pump, the combination of A. a frustoconical, waste-holding pit,

1. said pit being of greatest diameter at the top thereof; B. a combination shredder plate and pump impeller rotatively disposed at the bottom of the said pit, I. said shredder plate and pump impeller incorporating garbage grinding means and water pumping means; C. motor means associated within the said combination gar bage grinder and pump, l. said motor means rotatively functioning the said shredder plate and pump impeller;

D. a'waste discharge line receiving ground material from the shredder plate and pump impeller;

E. a water recirculation pipe positioned above the said waste discharge line, 1. said water recirculation pipe receiving liquid effluent from the said shredder plate pump impeller; and

F. a waste discharge control valve,

1. said valve controlling waste flow through the said waste discharge line, and

2. said waste discharge valve being operable from a closed position to an open position, whereby waste material may flow to the drain when the said waste discharge valve is in the open position and water may be pumped through the said water discharge line when the valve is in its closed position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of waste shredding buffers projecting upwardly from the top of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of waste shredding buffers projecting upwardly from the top of the said shredder plate and pump impeller and wherein a plurality of pump vanes project downwardly from the bottom of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.

4. The invention of claim 1 and a water discharge passage circumferentially positioned below the said shredder plate and pump impeller, the said discharge passage being of volute shape, and the said water discharge passage communicating with the said water recirculation pipe.

5. The invention of claim 1 and a plurality of baffles inwardly projecting from the walls of the said pit.

6. The invention to claim 1 and a plurality of baffles inwardly projecting from the walls of the said pit and the said baffles being vertically disposed and equidistantly arranged about the periphery of the said pit.

7. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit.

8. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit, wherein the said battle is circumferentially downwardly slanted to direct flow into the said pit.

9. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit, wherein the said baffle is annularly downwardly positioned to direct flow into the said pit and wherein the said annular baffle is fabricated of resilient material.

10. The invention of claim 1 and a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating within the said unit beneath the said shredder plate and pump impeller, whereby water and air may be introduced into the interior of the said combination garbage grinder and pump unit.

11. The invention of claim 1 and a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating within the said unit beneath the said shredder plate and pump impeller, the said water and air inlet opening being releasably covered by a flap of water-impervious material operatively responsive to pressures within the said water and air inlet pipe.

12. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of radially extending, downwardly projecting vanes, the said vanes being equidistantly positioned about the said shredder plate and pump impeller, and wherein the said vanes terminate inwardly a distance spaced from the center of the said shredder plate and pump impeller to thereby provide an annular recess, defined upon rotation of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said motor means are rotatively reversible.

14. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said water pump ing means include a plurality of pump vanes radially extending from a central hub, the said vanes diminishing in depth as they approach the hub to form a circular recess.

15. The invention of claim 14 and "a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating at one end thereof at the said circular recess. 

1. In a combination garbage grinder and pump, the combination of A. a frustoconical, waste-holding pit,
 1. said pit being of greatest diameter at the top thereof; B. a combination shredder plate and pump impeller rotatively disposed at the bottom of the said pit,
 1. said shredder plate and pump impeller incorporating garbage grinding means and water pumping means; C. motor means associated within the said combination garbage grinder and pump,
 1. said motor means rotatively functioning the said shredder plate and pump impeller; D. a waste discharge line receiving ground material from the shredder plate and pump impeller; E. a water recirculation pipe positioned above the said waste discharge line,
 1. said water recirculation pipe receiving liquid effluent from the said shredder plate pump impeller; and F. a waste discharge control valve,
 1. said valve controlling waste flow through the said waste discharge line, and
 2. said waste discharge valve being operable from a closed position to an open position, whereby waste material may flow to the drain when the said waste discharge valve is in the open position and water may be pumped through the said water discharge line when the valve is in its closed position.
 2. said waste discharge valve being operable from a closed position to an open position, whereby waste material may flow to the drain when the said waste discharge valve is in the open position and water may be pumped through the said water discharge line when the valve is in its closed position.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of waste shredding buffers projecting upwardly from the top of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of waste shredding buffers projecting upwardly from the top of the said shredder plate and pump impeller and wherein a plurality of pump vanes project downwardly from the bottom of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.
 4. The invention of claim 1 and a water discharge passage circumferentially positioned below the said shredder plate and pump impeller, the said discharge passage being of volute shape, and the said water discharge passage communicating with the said water recirculation pipe.
 5. The invention of claim 1 and a plurality of baffles inwardly projecting from the walls of the said pit.
 6. The invention to claim 1 and a plurality of baffles inwardly projecting from the walls of the said pit and the said baffles being vertically disposed and equidistantly arranged about the periphery of the said pit.
 7. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit.
 8. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit, wherein the said baffle is circumferentially downwardly slanted to direct flow into the said pit.
 9. The invention of claim 1 and an annular, inwardly projecting baffle overhanging the top of the said pit, wherein the said baffle is annularly downwardly positioned to direct flow into the said pit and wherein the said annular baffle is fabricated of resilient material.
 10. The invention of claim 1 and a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating within the said unit beneath the said shredder plate and pump impeller, whereby water and air may be introduced into the interior of the said combination garbage grinder and pump unit.
 11. The invention of claim 1 and a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating within the said unit beneath the said shredder plate and pump impeller, the said water and air inlet opening being releasably covered by a flap of water-impervious material operatively responsive to pressures within the said water and air inlet pipe.
 12. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shredder plate and pump impeller includes a plurality of radially extending, downwardly projecting vanes, the said vanes being equidistantly positioned about the said shredder plate and pump impeller, and wherein the said vanes terminate inwardly a distance spaced from the center of the said shredder plate and pump impeller to thereby provide an annular recess, defined upon rotation of the said shredder plate and pump impeller.
 13. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said motor means are rotatively reversible.
 14. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said water pumping means include a plurality of pump vanes radially extending from a central hub, the said vanes diminishing in depth as they approach the hub to form a circular recess.
 15. The invention of claim 14 and a water and air inlet passage, the said water and air inlet passage terminating at one end thereof at the said circular recess. 